America Would Explode in Creativity

Clip Transcript

Ashley Walker, single mother of two:

I’d like to think they’re doing really well. I worry every day that I might not be enough for them. I worry are they happy? Do they feel enough love? I’m trying my best to give them everything that I can. If I could give them more, I would. It’s hard.

The brain has the ability to grow and develop. It also has the ability to heal. If we can create a reliable, structured social environment that is safe and secure, the capacity of the brain and the human spirit to continue and thrive and develop is beyond what any of us could predict.

What do we all want for our children? We want them to be healthy and thriving. We want them to be growing and learning and being all they can be.

Aiden, child:

My name starts with an “A”

Renee Boynton-Jarrett:

That’s right!

Jack Shonkoff:

We want them to be happy. What could we be doing to strengthen the capacity of everyone who interacts with children to be able to provide more of what they need? What could do to be smarter?

Rob Dugger, Co-Founder, ReadyNation:

Smart societies look ahead and if they see a cliff, they turn the car and drive this way. They don’t need the accident to teach them, “need to turn the car, need to change direction.” We know we got a crisis, but we’re choosing to try to perpetuate the old way of doing things. We’ve got to make different choices.

Jack Shonkoff:

How can we strengthen families?

Ann Waterman Roy, mother of two:

Where’s my other child? Oh there you are.

Jack Shonkoff:

How could we strengthen the capacity of this community to provide a safe and nurturing environment to raise children? What kind of role could business play to help support the family life of the people who work for them?

Instead of blaming government programs we ought to say how could we do a better job.

Marlis Balderamma, mother:

What do you want to be when you grow, hun?

Brooklyn, child:

A fireman!

Marlis Balderamma:

A fireman! So you want to help people?

Renee Boynton-Jarrett:

There is strong and overwhelming evidence that’s all saying the same thing: investing early in the lives of all children is not only cost effective for the whole society, but it improves well-being for all members of society.

If we worked out the problem of actually being inclusive and fair for all children in terms of their productivity as future workers and their productivity as future citizens and member of society, America would explode in terms of creativity, in terms of growth, in terms of ingenuity. If we play with a full deck, this country would explode.